How first footing came back into fashion this Hogmanay - Vladimir McTavish

Us locals had to resort to more traditional Hogmanay rituals

Before they even checked into their hotel, they knew their trip was ruined. Instead of partying with strangers in the street, us locals had to resort to more traditional rituals like first-footing our neighbours.

When I was a very young drinker, pubs in Glasgow used to shut at 9pm on New Year’s Eve. That was so that the bar staff could also go out to house parties, which would carry on for hours or even days, after midnight.

Several years ago, I spent a short New Year holiday in Amsterdam. In late afternoon, the youth of the city started indulging in the Dutch tradition of throwing fire crackers at strangers. Then, from around nine o’clock, the streets became eerily calm. Nothing much seemed to be going on.

Suddenly, just before the stroke of twelve, the streets were filled with drunk revellers, drinking champagne from the bottle and smoking weed. They started setting off fireworks in a totally unplanned manner. However, looking up at the night sky, the effect was as impressive as any organised display I have ever witnessed. One guy, bottle in one hand, returned to a rocket which had failed to ignite and lit it with the tip of his joint. I don’t think he would have been deterred by a wee bit of wind.

I think it was good that we had to have a more traditional celebration this year. At around 1.30am on New Year’s Day, I got a phone call from my 82-year-old aunt who stays in Forres. She had clearly had a few and was phoning to wish me all the best for 2025.

Despite the fact that her husband and her son had both gone to bed not long after the bells, she was determined to keep on drinking well into the wee small hours. That is the true spirit of Hogmanay.

Happy New Year.